What can employers do?
Making sure your workplace has effective mental health policies and practices will benefit both your business and your employees. It can result in significant cost savings (in terms of reduced sickness absence and staff turnover and improved productivity) and generate goodwill and loyalty amongst staff who, in turn, will benefit from improved wellbeing and access to support should they become unwell.

Some simple first steps:

1.Recognise that poor mental health is an important issue for your business to address.

2.Develop policies that seek to minimise work-related mental ill health (through providing mentally healthy working conditions and practices) and that ensure appropriate support is in place for those employees who do experience mental ill health. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has produced a guide for employers which will help you develop such policies.

3.Ensure all line managers are trained in how to respond to employees experiencing mental ill health. We offer a range of training and support packages that can be adapted to suit the specific needs of your organisation.

4.Run awareness raising campaigns within your workplace, to ensure all staff are aware of what policies and support you have in place and to create an environment where people feel safe to discuss their mental health without fear of discrimination.